August 8, 2012

"It only takes one day to change your life," the words Ryan Seacrest has ended the past couple finale's with, as the confetti falls to the ground of the Nokia Theater stage in Los Angeles. These words usually echo in my mind the rest of the night, as I replay the happy images of the winner and his family. 'That could be me up there,' I'd think to myself. Oh, how I wish it were me.

Ever since I got home from Nashville, and even throughout this year, I've been having this tugging feeling in the pit of my stomach directing me back to pursuing music. Every summer I wait for the Idol auditions to be posted, though I'm not sure why because I can never seem to make it down to LA when it comes time to do it. This year, they were at Dodger Stadium, but it was the week we were in Nashville. I thought, 'there goes that.' And then I noticed auditions for The Voice were coming up. Once again, I wasn't going to be able to make it to those auditions, so I thought I'd send it in on DVD. I asked my friend to play guitar for me, and I'd get it all sent out before the 17th of this month, when the deadline was. But, the more I thought about everything in my head, things just weren't adding up. There was a reason I kept delaying, but I wasn't sure why. I mean, that was my last shot as far as I was concerned. Even if it was a shot in the dark, I wanted to try it. But, something just didn't feel right.

Last night, I was checking Twitter, as I do basically 24/7, and I saw American Idol had opened up online auditions. Immediately I knew I had to do it. So, I started signing up and making my profile, brainstorming which song I'd pick. This morning I was analyzing every little detail of the questionaire they give you, even though the questions were as simple as Favorite artists, TV shows, movies, etc. All of a sudden, I'm taking them to a new extreme. This is it. This is my moment. What I write down, what I say, what I do, what I sing, and what I wear will all play a part in whether I make it to the next round or not. No pressure, right? HA. Apparently, there is no song list to choose from, so we can sing anything...Which now makes it harder to some degree. But, it gives me an opportunity to stick with things I'm comfortable with singing, that will showcase what I can do. This is my one shot.

God's timing is perfect. He's never late, and He's never early...He's always right on time. All of the puzzle pieces have been adding up over the last few months, and I'm getting closer to the destination that God has planned fore me. It's all about being open to His opportunities and the doors that He has been opening, all leading up to this very moment. I might not make it through to Hollywood, or whatever phase might come before that...But, I feel like this is still a real chance for me to learn and grow from it. Everything happens for a reason, even if I can't see it right now. Let's be honest though...Maybe the real reason it's meant to work out is that if Nick Jonas is a judge this season...Well, that would be worth it enough, even if I'm the first one to go home. HAHA jk! I at least want to make top 10.

I'm excited to see where this journey takes me, even if it's not to the finale at Nokia in 2013. This journey is all about finding myself, what God has called me to do, and taking my stand on the things I believe in. I've been waiting all of my life for a moment like this. I've never been more ready. I've always been timid, shy, scared to jump in...But, no more. I am ready to be 100% fearless even if I'm shaking in my boots while I do it. This year is about taking chances, stepping out of my comfort zone. This is my year. It's time to get things done and make them happen. So, whatever happens...Happens. God is in control and as long as I remember that, I'll be a lot better off.

That's all for now. Say a prayer for me and wish me luck. Here's the start of a beautiful adventure,
Shelby